Ashford Market Report – Tuesday 26th September 2023

Sheep Sales Reports

Auctioneer: John Rossiter 07557 392903

New Season Lambs – 625 Sold

Top price per kg: 323p – E Sargent
Top price per head: £140 – R G Hobbs Farms

Dreadfully short on numbers today, as is the case across the country. Finished lambs are short in numbers, and the bigger weights are in particular demand, and selling very well with several pens over £130 head with the smarter types over £3 kg once again. Numbers in this section always come under pressure at this time of the year and we predict this year to be no exception to this rule. If you have lambs that are nearing the finished level, it will pay to get them to good weights over the next 6-8 weeks as numbers will be short.

31kg – £100.00 (323p/kg) – E Sargent
37kg – £115.00 (311p/kg) – E Sargent
38kg – £120.00 (316p/kg) – E Sargent
39kg – £104.00 (267p/kg) – D Thompson
40kg – £102.00 (255p/kg) – J H & A H Godden
41kg – £111.00 (271p/kg) – R G Stevens
42kg – £111.50 (265p/kg) – L & L Colbourne
43kg – £112.00 (260p/kg) – Langrish Farmers
44kg – £131.00 (298p/kg) – R G Hobbs Farms
45kg – £133.00 (296p/kg) – S T Phillips
46kg – £127.00 (276p/kg) – R G Hobbs Farms
47kg – £140.00 (298p/kg) – R G Hobbs Farms
48kg – £138.00 (288p/kg) – S T Phillips
49kg – £136.00 (278p/kg) – R G Hobbs Farms
50kg – £135.00 (270p/kg) – S T Phillips
53kg – £134.00 (253p/kg) – W Pynn Contractors

Averages (p/kg) 

Standard 32.1 to 39 kgs – 142 – Top 316, Average 248.2
Medium 39.1 to 45.5 kgs – 328 – Top 298, Average 246.4
Heavy 45.6 to 52 kgs – 128 – Top 298, Average 271.0
Other 52.1+ kgs – 1 – Top 253, Average 253.0

Cull Sheep – 688 Sold

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

Ewe: Top £118 – M Friend, Average £67.02

A good number of ewes with the majority grazing types. The best ewes regularly £90 – £100 to a top price of £118 from Miss M Friend for smart Beltex ewes. Medium sorts £65 – £85 on most occasions with the leaner grazing types £40 – £60 throughout, leaving  only the few outsiders below these figures. Please do inform me of any large numbers of ewes that you intend on selling in the coming weeks.

Top prices included

Beltex to £118 – Miss M Friend, Texel cross to £94 – L & L Colbourne, Suffolk cross to £90 – Lovejoy Farm Partnership, Romney to £86 – Langrish Farmers, Mules to £78 – Bowley Farm Ltd

 

Store & Breeding Sheep – Friday 22nd September – 7,734 Sold

Auctioneers: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901, John Rossiter 07557 392903 & James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

Another big show of store lambs and while the small lambs were slightly less money the best stores were keenly sought after and probably dearer by some £2 / £3 per head.
A pen of meat lambs topped the market at £117 from P W & P Sim while best stores topped at £99.50 for a superb pen of Texel cross from W J Hurley. All crossbred stores with a bit of strength selling readily in the mid £90’s, medium stores around £85 and small long keeping sorts generally £65 to £75.
A big entry of Romney wethers were well received with the stronger sorts selling well in the £85 to £90 bracket, mediums around £80 and only smaller long keeping lambs below £70.

Principal prices include:

Texel cross – £117 – P W & P Sim
Texel cross – £99.50 – W J Hurley
Texel cross – £99.00 – S Roper
Texel cross – £97.50 – A Pynn
Texel cross – £96.00 – Maytham Wharf Farm
Texel cross – £95.00 – Lodgelands Farm
Beltex cross – £95.50 – S Weeks & Sons
Charollais cross – £99.00 – W J Waters
Charollais cross – £97.50 – M Wickens
Charollais cross – £93.50 – Wanstall Farms
Suffolk x Mule – £96.00 – Miss J A Biddle
Suffolk x Mule – £95.00 – E W & R E Hanks
Suffolk x Romney – £89.50 – S G & G T Orpin
Suffolk x Romney – £88.00 – F & L Reeve
Romney wether – £90.00 – D Fuller
Romney wether – £90.00 – A J Thompson & Sons
Romney wether – £90.00 – R Mair & Son
Romney wether – £89.00 – J Saunders & Son
Romney wether – £88.00 – A Reeve & Son 

Average Prices 

Suffolk cross – 1,000 sold – Top £96.00 – Ave £82.50
Texel cross – 2,181 sold – Top £117.00 – Ave £86.80
Charollais cross – 981 sold – Top £99.00 – Ave £84.00
Crossbred – 577 sold – Top £84.00 – Ave £77.20
Romney wether – 1,618 sold – Top £90.00 – Ave £77.50

Breeding Sheep

Auctioneer: James Cook-O’Connell 07712 246474

The first real show of breeding ewes tegs on offer today with majority being mules which topped out at £180 (twice) from both Mr T Crick and Picketts Farm. Highlights of the day was from J Seward for Texel x Mule tegs to £195, with the second pen to £168. Suffolk x Mules in strong demand topping out at £180 from E Chantler & Sons followed closely behind by E W & R E Hanks to £177 for the best of their run. A good number of Romney ewe tegs on offer Friday 29^th September with a good entry of other ewe tegs on the Friday 6^th October to include Mules and Suffolk x Mules.
A good entry of breeding ewes with a run of strong Mules from North Kent College which topped out at £124 (twice) with the rest of the run selling in excess of £100. Top price on the day was £138 from Vant & Claringbould for Texel cross ewes with majority of the others £90 – £120 throughout.
We expect a good number of Romney breeding ewes for Friday 29^th September.
Entries are being taken for other breeding sheep with the next date being Friday 6^th October.

Principal prices include: 

Mule – £180.00 – Picketts Farm
Mule – £180.00 – T Crick
Mule – £179.00 – Picketts Farm
Mule – £178.00 – T Crick
Suffolk x Mule – £180.00 – E Chantler & Sons
Suffolk x Mule – £177.00 – E W & R E Hanks
Texel cross – £195.00 – J Seward

Cattle Sales Reports

Finished Cattle –  62 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

All cattle looking dearer on the week with the best Continental cross beef bred sorts 280p plus and the best of the dairy and native bred cattle around 250p.
A superb run of Continental crosses from A J Thompson & Sons basically swept the board attracting prices mainly in excess of 280p and up to 308p and tops grossing in excess of £1700. Other top prices included Limousin cross heifers £1666 (276p) from W Alexander (Shoreham) and £1486 (281p) from R F & E A Simmons.
Dairy bred cattle around 250p with Limousin x Friesian steers to £1657 (246p) and Hereford x Friesian steers to £1497 (250p) from A J Down while the pick of the native bred sorts included Aberdeen Angus cross steers £1812 (254p) from Leggat Farming Ltd and Aberdeen Angus cross heifers to £1450 (255p) from W S Furnival Ltd.
Leaner types for further fattening were keenly sought after with a run of Continental cross steers (550 to 600kg) looking well sold in the 250 to 270p bracket and grossing up to £1682 from Langrish Farmers.

Top Steers

A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 298p/kg (£1666)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 296p/kg (£1669)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 289p/kg (£1759)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 288p/kg (£1552)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 282pkg (£1618)

Top Heifers

A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 308p/kg (£1706)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 291p/kg (£1525)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 287p/kg (£1561)
R F & E A Simmons – Limousin cross – 281p/kg – (£1486)
A J Thompson & Sons – Limousin cross – 280p/kg (£1537)

Average Prices

Steers up to 650kg – 33 sold – Top 298p – Ave 258p
Steers over 651kg – 5 sold – Top 254p – Ave 247p
Heifers up to 500kg – 7 sold – Top 256p – Ave 231p
Heifers over 501kg – 17 sold – Top 308p – Ave 270p

OTM Cattle and Cull Cows – 60 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

A very mixed show of culls with a high proportion of very lean hard worked cows, particularly from the dairy sector, met another very firm trade indeed. Averages won’t be very startling, but neither were the cows!
Sharp demand for beef cows with flesh and for the younger smarter feeders which were sold up to 236p kg for under 3 year Simmental young cow. Fleshed cows 170-200p kg and little under 150p kg.
Simmental 236p, 191p, £1389, £1334 M & C Farms; Angus cross 208p, £1193 (non FA) E Tilley; Red Poll 196p, £1095 (non FA) D J Cornforth; Limousin cross 190p, £1649 (non FA) Brockhill Park School; South Devon 187p, 186p, £1445, £1289 H & S Nesfield; Sussex 184p, £1147 (non FA) D J Cornforth.
Heavy fleshed dairy cows much sought after with few on offer but mostly plain lighter weight straight from the grass. Best cows 160-190p; Plain cows well sold at 90-135p kg and smaller Channel Island or crossbreds 60-80p.
Holstein Friesian 187p, £1473 Goddard & Son, 171p, 170p, 168p (2), 166p, 165p, £1509, £1432, £1415 (2), £1407, £1382 J S & M D Antrum & Son; 167p, £1374 P J Forknall; Dairy Shorthorn 179p, £1160 M Elphick; Jersey cross 107p, £591 M S Clifford Baynes.
Overage (2) Very few this week but good quality Beef Shorthorn OTM heifers selling to 240p and 227p, £1789, £1461.
Stock bulls (4) In demand but flesh important. Limousin to 167p, 31465; Sussex 136p, £1206; Charolais cross 126p, £1186; Longhorn 126p, £1230.

Beef Cows – 15 Sold – Top 236, Average 167.4
Dairy Cows –39 Sold – Top 187, Average 124.3

Store Cattle – 366 Sold

Auctioneer: Elwyn Davies 07710 803901

The largest sale yet of the Autumn period comprising a big percentage of beef bred strong stores to finish short term. These were well received with several customers keen to replenish empty yards and trade was brisk throughout particularly for the better bred cattle on offer.
The best of the Continental crosses sold readily in excess of £1200 with 20 mths Limousin cross steers topping at £1580 from a quality run consigned by A J Strand & Sons while smart Limousin cross topped the heifer section at £1350 from R A Wade.
A relatively high percentage of Aberdeen Angus crosses on offer with a pen of superb steers topping the market at £1650 from R & H Vincent and a quality run from M S Worssam attracted competitive bidding with steers to £1410 and heifers looking well sold at £1175.
Other top prices included 26 mths fleshed purebred Sussex heifers selling at £1310 from J Trumper.
Younger longer term cattle generally attracted prices in the £750 to £1000 bracket.
Next sale Tuesday 10^th October – 200 already entered and further entries now invited.

Principal Prices include:

Continental Cross 

18mths Limousin cross steers – £1410 – H & J Noakes
18mths Limousin cross heifers – £1230 – H & J Noakes
18mths Limousin cross steers – £1490 – R A Wade
18mths Limousin cross heifers – £1350 – R A Wade
18mths Charolais cross steers – £1270 – M & C Farms Ltd
18mths Charolais cross heifers – £1160 – M & C Farms Ltd
20mths Blonde cross steers – £1290 – Wanstall Farms
17mths Blonde cross heifer – £1270 – Wanstall Farms
20mths Limousin cross steers – £1580 – A J Strand & Sons
20mths Limousin cross heifers – £1225 – A J Strand & Sons
24mths Blue x Friesian steers – £1200 – P R Lanham

Native Bred 

15mths Hereford steers – £1035 – A R Ambrose
16mths Angus cross steer – £1130 – Brockhill Park College
15mths Angus cross steer – £1070 – G Lawrence & Son
15mths Angus cross steers – £960 – A K F Dod
18mths Angus cross heifers – £940 – A K F Dod
18mths Angus cross heifers – £935 – P J & P B Wade
18mths Angus cross steers – £1410 – M S Worssam
18mths Angus cross heifers – £1175 – M S Worssam
18mths Sussex steers – £1080 – R M Vidler
24mths Angus cross steers – £1650 – R & H Vincent
26mths Sussex heifers – £1310 – J Trumper

Breeding Cattle – 21 Sold

Auctioneer: Peter Kingwill 07795 200357

A nice entry of mid-age cows with good continental calves from Goodsell Farm Partners sold to good competition but at Autumn rates rather than the high flying levels of the Spring. Steer calf units sold to £1450, heifer calf units to £1220.

Calves –  46 Sold

Auctioneer: Tom Hamplett 07966 104532

Top draw calves a flying trade with middling types similar to last time out; harder work for Channel Island crosses.
Bulls to £ 380 for a lovely run of Charolais from H O Champneys Ltd. £340 topping the Blues from P J Forknall with a good run from J W Boyd & Sons Ltd looking well sold at £270, £240 and £230. Angus topping at £250 and £230 from J W Boyd & Sons Ltd.
Best heifers well supported with tops of £245 and £230 for Blues from J W Boyd & Sons Ltd, Charolais from P J Forknall to £250 and Simmentals from H O Champneys Ltd to £190. Native heifers in short supply with quality lacking generally, tops of £95 for Herefords from Goddard & Son.
A polite request to all vendors, please do advise of entries on the Monday morning before a sale to ensure we can communicate numbers to buyers!

Bull Calves

British Blue cross – 8 – Ave £170.63 – Top £340 – P J Forknall
Simmental cross – 2 – Ave £330 – Top £380 – H O Champneys Ltd
Norwegian Red cross – 3 – Ave £67.33 – Top £85 – D Murdoch & Sons
Aberdeen Angus cross – 6 – Ave £186.67 – Top £250 – J W Boyd & Sons Ltd

Heifer Calves

British Blue cross – 12 – Ave £102.50 – Top £245 – J W Boyd & Sons Ltd
Simmental cross – 1 – Ave £190 – Top £190 – H O Champneys Ltd
Charolais cross – 1 – Ave £250 – Top £250 – P J Forknall
Aberdeen Angus cross – 1 – Ave £60 – Top £60 – J W Boyd & Sons Ltd
Hereford cross – 3 – Ave £71.67 – Top £95 – Goddard & Son

Steer Calves

British Blue cross – 2 – Ave £77.50 – ~Top £95 – G R Edgar & Son

Heifer Weanlings

Aberdeen Angus cross – 1 – Ave £300 – Top £300 – W Pynn Contractors

Forthcoming Auctions

Tuesday Livestock – 3rd October 2023

Regular Weekly Market with a sale of Store and Breeding Cattle

For our Auction Calendar and Catalogues click here